The present invention relates to new saccharide-based matrices containing oleaginous materials which can be used in food products. The invention also relates to methods of making and using the oleaginous matrix.
As an outgrowth of experimentation with a varied catalog of substances, it has been discovered that spinning a substance with sugar can alter the medium in which a particular substance can either dissolve or become dispersed, the latter while forming a colloid or colloidal-like dispersion. Whether or not the dispersions to be described herein represent true colloidal dispersions or only pseudo-colloidal dispersions, has yet to be determined. What is evident is that when the spun sugar products described herein are added to water, the product disperses autogenously throughout the water and remains dispersed. In most instances, one observes a general cloudiness associated with a colloidal suspension. But this is not always the case. Several other novel phenomena have been observed also.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,532, oleaginous substances, such as vegetable oil, mineral oil, baby oil, margarine, lanolin, cocoa butter and the like are disclosed as characteristically lacking affinity for water. The '532 patent explains how this characteristic is altered by mixing the oleaginous substance with sugar and melt-spinning the mixture in a cotton candy spinning machine or the equivalent. As so modified, the products disperse in water forming a colloidal or pseudo-colloidal dispersion. Such modification enabled such widely disparate procedures as: (a) incorporating shortening oil in a cake mix containing flour but no egg to which water is added to produce a batter; and (b) producing a confection or medicated lozenge by dehydrating the dispersion and allowing the melted residue to solidify. The disclosure of the '532 patent is incorporated herein by reference.
Other disclosures dealing with spinning substances with one or more sugars will be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,873,085; 4,997,856; 5,028,632 and 5,034,421.
While significant advancements have been achieved for enhancing the dispersibility of oleaginous materials in liquids, artisans have long sought to improve the dispersibility of oleaginous materials in foods to enhance gustatory qualities. For example, meat alternatives such as meat by-products and edible protein compositions have enjoyed only limited success in spite of their lower costs. Consumers have, for the most part, shunned such products due to their lack of taste and dry texture. If these shortcomings could be overcome, more appealing food products would result.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide oleaginous materials in a format which would enhance edible compositions.
Other and further objects of the present invention will become apparent in the following description and its scope will be pointed out with the appended claims.